SAPPER HERBERT ANDERSON
5076 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Herbert Harold Anderson was born in Malmsbury, Victoria in 1894 the son of Charles and Annie (nee Etchell) Anderson. His parents moved to Mount Morgan, Queensland and Herb, as he called himself, became a miner. He was employed by the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd.
At the Rockhampton Recruiting Office on January 5, 1916 Herb applied to enlist for active service where the single twenty-two year old passed the medical examination. Attestation Papers show he was 178cms (5ft 9ins) tall, weighed 72.7kgs (160lbs) and had a chest measurement of 99cms (39ins). Dark was his complexion with brown eyes and dark hair. His religion was given as Church of England and mother Mrs Annie Anderson of Rockhampton Road, Mount Morgan was listed as his next-of-kin. Later her address was Rockdale, NSW. He was sworn in to serve his country and departed for Brisbane, Qld.
Basic training began as a Private at the 11th Depot Battalion, Enoggera, Brisbane on January 11, 1916 for exactly one month. On February 12 he was sent to the 13th Depot Battalion for further instruction which concluded on March 24 and he was transferred to the Mining Corps, A.I.F. remaining until May 10, 1916.
He was transferred to the Miners’ Reinforcements Camp at Seymour, Vic. for supplementary training in preparation for overseas service. Assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies with the regimental number 5076 in the rank of Sapper his training concluded on July 18, 1916.
The following day Sapper Anderson was one of 79 Reinforcements departing on HMAT A26 Armadale from Port Melbourne, Victoria. Durban, South Africa was reached on August 15, 1916 and leave was granted from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and they departed the next day. Arrived at Cape Town a few days later on August 20, 1916 and a Route March lasting three hours kept them fit before enjoying leave until 11 p.m. The ship was scheduled to leave at 2 p.m. but cancelled and left the following day at 5 p.m. The quality of liquor in town was considered bad. A one day stopover to refuel at Port le Grand, St Vincent was the last harbour visited on September 8, 1916. After a 64 day voyage the ship arrived at Devonport, England on September 30, 1916. The men marched in to No 3 Camp at Parkhouse for further training for the front.
While at training camp the following was dealt with on October 12, 1916:
Crime:A.W.L (Away without Leave) 24.00 8/10/16 to 22.00 9/10/16
Award:7 days C.B. (confined to barracks) by Lt-Col Kennedy
Total forfeiture:1 days pay.
The troops proceeded overseas to France on October 15, 1916 and three days later marched into the Australian Depot where Sapper Anderson remained on duty until December 11, 1916 until he was attached to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion for three weeks.
On December 31, 1916 he was taken on strength with the 1st Tunnelling Company. Service with this company was incident free and he suffered no illnesses.
On December 5, 1917 the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd publicly displayed the Roll of Honour Board for employees who had volunteered from their employ. The name of H. Anderson appears on the Board.
The only misdemeanour that occurred on the front was handled on May 4, 1918:
Crime:W.O.A.S. (While on Active Service) A.W.L. from 10pm 2/5/18 to 6am 4/5/18.
Award:14 days C.B.
Forfeiture:7 days pay by C.O. 1st Tun. Coy
Total forfeiture:£2/5/- [$2.50]
Central Queensland soldiers on the Front were in contact with Mrs H.G. Wheeler working in London co-ordinating the Central Queensland Comfort Fund and each week sent report-letters naming those men she had been in contact with during the week. These were published in the Rockhampton newspapers to give relatives reliable news of their men abroad. Her address was care of the Agent-General, Queensland Office, London.
The following are extracts from her letters home published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin in which she imparts news of Sapper Herb Anderson.
He proceeded on leave on August 24, 1918 and rejoined his unit on September 9, 1918.
In her weekly letter in mid November and published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Friday February 14, 1919 the extract from Mrs Wheeler’s letter reads:
Twelve days after Peace was declared Sapper Anderson was taken to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station sick and two days later was transferred on A.T. 20 and admitted with Myalgia (Muscular Pain) to the 4th General Hospital on November 26, 1918. Four days later he was on the dangerously ill list suffering Bronco-pneumonia with his next-of-kin notified on December 10, 1918.
By December 8, 1918 he was removed from the dangerously ill list and arrangements for his transference to England on the ship Villede Zeige began the following day. On January 11 was admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital, Monyhull Section, but his condition was downgraded to severe Influenza on admission.
A transfer to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford took place on January 10, 1919 to convalesce and five days later was discharged on furlough. Orders to report on January 23, 1919 to London Headquarters were issued but he requested to report to No 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny instead which was granted. Next-of-kin were notified that he was convalescing on January 28, 1919. He returned with improved health and marched in on the designated day.
He marched out of No 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on February 20, 1919 to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth to await his return to Australia.
His departure from England aboard the H.T. Plassy took place on March 17, 1919. Family at home were advised of his return on April 7, 1919 and the ship docked in the 3rd Military District (Vic) on April 30, 1919.
He returned to Brisbane, Queensland (1st M.D.) and was discharged Medically Unfit on June 15, 1919.
Rockhampton Road, Mount Morgan was his residence in 1919.
In 1921 he married Catherine Lily Pegg.
For serving his country Sapper 5076 Herbert Anderson, 1st Tunnelling Company was awarded the British War Medal (18523) and the Victory Medal (19035).
A Statement of his Service was forwarded from Base Records to the Repatriation Dept, Sydney, NSW on September 27, 1927 and to Brisbane, Qld on January 13, 1931.
A letter dated May 12, 1934 was sent on his behalf from the R.S.S.I.L.A. Brisbane Sub-branch to Base Records advising that Sapper Anderson had not received his medals, requesting them to be sent to him at 189 Campbell Street, Rockhampton. He receipted their delivery on June 6, 1934.
In 1936 he lists his occupation as a Fisherman residing at Roslyn, Yeppoon.
On August 5, 1941 Herb applied for a Duplicate Discharge Certificate because the original had been lost. Following a Statutory Declaration, Base Records sent a Duplicate Certificate on September 18, 1941 to 56 Queen Street, Yeppoon, Qld. His occupation at that time was a Labourer.
Herbert Anderson died on July 8, 1954 aged 62 years. The following articles appeared in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin:
Interment at the Crematorium was in Wall 3, Row 1 in Niche 3 and the ashes remained there until collected about 2002 by G.B. Hull and relocated to the Rockhampton Memorial Gardens.
Further commemoration is at the Garden of Remembrance, Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery, Bridgeman Downs, Brisbane, Qld on Wall 2 Row T.
© Donna Baldey 2010